Proteus Marketing have pulled together a list of B2B marketing and sales blogs - more than 200 of them. To make it on the list, the blog had to meet the following criteria:
• The blog had to have recent posts
• The blog had to be active for at least three months
• If new, the blog had to already have a decent amount of relevant content
• The blog didn't have to be entirely B2B, as long as the content was relevant to B2B
• If the blog had few recent posts, it needed to have substantial historical content.
October 2009 Archives
Whilst this list of Top 10 tools for learning is primarily aimed at learning professionals, it's a useful reference for marketers. The list includes valuable tools such as Evernote (which I use all of the time now) and Posteous and has been pulled together Jane Hart .
The marketing team of 'Community Care Live Children & Families' in the UK found out by researching their customers that a key objective of the event attendees was to network with other people in the industry. The team's goal was to deliver on this need - whcih was a big challenge considering that they had an extremely limited budget!
Manas Datta, the Executive working on the programme, investgated free web platforms and decided to use www. Ning.com to set up a networking site and then promote it to the audience:
'The site has been a roaring success so far - with close to 300 people registered, many of whom are actively participating. We've got exhibitors on there as well, some have put up photos, others are setting up appointments, a couple of them have set up a promotional blog etc.'
It
cost £75 for a custom masthead, and a few hours of time to set it up.
One of the effects of the economy has been a reluctance on behalf of consumers to be approached by a sales person - even if they actually do need the product or service. In B2B markets, where time is perceived as a previsous commodity, this reluctance is magnified - which explains why a lead generation campaign will not succeed without a great offer.
'Apply Today'; 'Attend a Free Seminar' - are examples of hard offers which incentivizes a prospective buyer to accept a call from a sales rep. Soft offers are low in commitment and provide a high level of perceived value - white papers, ebooks, webinars, podcasts for example. These types of offers are popular as business people want assistance in doing their jobs better, making money, keeping up with the latest trends and learning what works for others. The offer of information therefore is an effective lead generator provided it:
1. Is of value to the prospect
2. Exclusive - ie they can't get it anywhere else
3. Is tangible
4. Easy to deliver
5. Relevant to a prospect's business
These types of soft offers fill the marketing funnel with the buyers of the future without losing any short-term revenue. They overcome the reluctance of your target to speak to a salesperson and persuades them to raise their hand and indicate that they might have an interest in knowing more.
'Apply Today'; 'Attend a Free Seminar' - are examples of hard offers which incentivizes a prospective buyer to accept a call from a sales rep. Soft offers are low in commitment and provide a high level of perceived value - white papers, ebooks, webinars, podcasts for example. These types of offers are popular as business people want assistance in doing their jobs better, making money, keeping up with the latest trends and learning what works for others. The offer of information therefore is an effective lead generator provided it:
1. Is of value to the prospect
2. Exclusive - ie they can't get it anywhere else
3. Is tangible
4. Easy to deliver
5. Relevant to a prospect's business
These types of soft offers fill the marketing funnel with the buyers of the future without losing any short-term revenue. They overcome the reluctance of your target to speak to a salesperson and persuades them to raise their hand and indicate that they might have an interest in knowing more.
BtoB magazine in the US asked a number of executives what changes they have made to their lead generation tactics given the state of the economy.:
"The current business environment has impacted our demand management activities in three main ways from planning through tactics. First, greater collaboration. We are tightly aligned with the sales organization in evaluating business opportunities, agreeing on the related strategies and creating compelling messaging and offers. Second, smarter decision-making. We utilize our data ro gain a clearer understanding of the most effective activities and target groups. Third, increased use of Web and (telemarketing). Our campaigns are leveraging these cost-effective channels whenever and wherever possible".
Emmanuelle Morice
Senior VP - Marketing and Demand Management Strategy, SAP
"In these times, you have to be absolutely focused on addressing your customers' business issues. It is no longer enough to talk about this great new technology that has come out. You have to address your customers' pain points and show them the business impact of deploying your solutions. In these times, now more than ever before, there has to be a quick ROI that happens in less than one year".
Buell Duncan
VP - Marketing, IBM Software Group
.
"It's all about the customer and continually focusing on meeting their needs. In this competitive environment, marketers need to get closer to customers and prospects. One effective way to do that is with personalized communications that build one-to-one relationships. Also, make sure your value statement resonates with the target group. Bad message equals bad sales. I believe it's essential to have print in the marketing mix. Digital printing technology and campaign management solutions enable marketers to move from mass communication to mass customization. By leveraging CRM data, marketers can deliver content that's truly relevant to an audience. That drives higher response rates, more revenue and greater return on marketing investment".
Jeffrey W Hayzlett
VP - CMO, Eastman Kodak Co
"It's always important to have healthy lead generation as part of your marketing program. Filling up the pipeline through marketing tactics is always important to sales. But I think (lead generation and branding) go hand in hand. It's easier to build a lead-generation program if customers are aware of your products and you're considered a thought leader. Lead-generation programs perform better when they're one element of the marketing mix".
Mike Paradiso
Global Media Director, CA
"A few years ago, Motorola began shifting its marketing mix to a heavier mix of digital marketing and online lead generation. With digital marketing and online lead generation, you get real-time statistics, which enables you to test and refine tactics. This year we are continuing to focus on online supported by multitouch lead-generation campaigns".
Eduardo Conrado
Senior VP - Business and Technology Marketing and Communications, Motorola
"We're a direct company. We don't have any sales reps. We rely on lead generation and print ads to send people to our AutomationDirect.com Web site. Lead generation is critical for us. Right now we are having terrific results with direct mail. We pull our names (for the direct mail campaigns) from everywhere. We rent lists from the companies we've partnered with for advertising. We feel that we're reaching our audience with the advertising in print, and we're hoping when they get something from us in the mail, they recognize our name. Another source for names is from prospects registering in our Web site for our free quarterly magazine. Automation Notebook, or our Automation Direct e-mail newsletter".
Tina Gable
Advertising Manager, Automation Direct
"We've always tried to be efficient in how we attract members to our IT information Web site, but now we're more closely monitoring the lifetime value of each audience- development source to maximize our spend. For example, if we're doing direct mail or co-registration campaign to build leads, we'll look at our sources and what we're spending to bring in a new member. In addition, we're trying to maximise for organic search traffic; to go with our paid search program. With today's technology, you can monitor that down to the keyword level".
Brent Shean
Senior Manager - Audience Acquisition, IT Business Edge
"Like everyone else, we are looking at how to do more online. People are not travelling to events as much, but events are really the best place to have conversations with customers about the solutions we can offer them. So we are doing more virtual events. We are also using social media for lead generation, as well as to help us continue to have an ongoing dialogue with our customers".
Deborah Nelson
Senior VP - Marketing, Technology Solutions Group, Hewlett-Packard Co
"In the down economy, many companies, if not all companies, have changed the way they're doing their marketing, and AMD is no exception in that. We're focused on generating not only leads but qualified leads. With the IDG program and with the AccelerateResults.com Web site (a custom content project created in conjunction with IDG), we add in appropriate questions that are very relevant to AMD or to our partners in terms of making sure that we are speaking with the right people in terms of how they're involved in the buying process. We also ask whether they're planning to buy within three to six months, or within 18 months to two years - that kind of information".
Katie Pariseau
Marketing Manager - Integrated Marketing Solutions, AMD
"The current business environment has impacted our demand management activities in three main ways from planning through tactics. First, greater collaboration. We are tightly aligned with the sales organization in evaluating business opportunities, agreeing on the related strategies and creating compelling messaging and offers. Second, smarter decision-making. We utilize our data ro gain a clearer understanding of the most effective activities and target groups. Third, increased use of Web and (telemarketing). Our campaigns are leveraging these cost-effective channels whenever and wherever possible".
Emmanuelle Morice
Senior VP - Marketing and Demand Management Strategy, SAP
"In these times, you have to be absolutely focused on addressing your customers' business issues. It is no longer enough to talk about this great new technology that has come out. You have to address your customers' pain points and show them the business impact of deploying your solutions. In these times, now more than ever before, there has to be a quick ROI that happens in less than one year".
Buell Duncan
VP - Marketing, IBM Software Group
.
"It's all about the customer and continually focusing on meeting their needs. In this competitive environment, marketers need to get closer to customers and prospects. One effective way to do that is with personalized communications that build one-to-one relationships. Also, make sure your value statement resonates with the target group. Bad message equals bad sales. I believe it's essential to have print in the marketing mix. Digital printing technology and campaign management solutions enable marketers to move from mass communication to mass customization. By leveraging CRM data, marketers can deliver content that's truly relevant to an audience. That drives higher response rates, more revenue and greater return on marketing investment".
Jeffrey W Hayzlett
VP - CMO, Eastman Kodak Co
"It's always important to have healthy lead generation as part of your marketing program. Filling up the pipeline through marketing tactics is always important to sales. But I think (lead generation and branding) go hand in hand. It's easier to build a lead-generation program if customers are aware of your products and you're considered a thought leader. Lead-generation programs perform better when they're one element of the marketing mix".
Mike Paradiso
Global Media Director, CA
"A few years ago, Motorola began shifting its marketing mix to a heavier mix of digital marketing and online lead generation. With digital marketing and online lead generation, you get real-time statistics, which enables you to test and refine tactics. This year we are continuing to focus on online supported by multitouch lead-generation campaigns".
Eduardo Conrado
Senior VP - Business and Technology Marketing and Communications, Motorola
"We're a direct company. We don't have any sales reps. We rely on lead generation and print ads to send people to our AutomationDirect.com Web site. Lead generation is critical for us. Right now we are having terrific results with direct mail. We pull our names (for the direct mail campaigns) from everywhere. We rent lists from the companies we've partnered with for advertising. We feel that we're reaching our audience with the advertising in print, and we're hoping when they get something from us in the mail, they recognize our name. Another source for names is from prospects registering in our Web site for our free quarterly magazine. Automation Notebook, or our Automation Direct e-mail newsletter".
Tina Gable
Advertising Manager, Automation Direct
"We've always tried to be efficient in how we attract members to our IT information Web site, but now we're more closely monitoring the lifetime value of each audience- development source to maximize our spend. For example, if we're doing direct mail or co-registration campaign to build leads, we'll look at our sources and what we're spending to bring in a new member. In addition, we're trying to maximise for organic search traffic; to go with our paid search program. With today's technology, you can monitor that down to the keyword level".
Brent Shean
Senior Manager - Audience Acquisition, IT Business Edge
"Like everyone else, we are looking at how to do more online. People are not travelling to events as much, but events are really the best place to have conversations with customers about the solutions we can offer them. So we are doing more virtual events. We are also using social media for lead generation, as well as to help us continue to have an ongoing dialogue with our customers".
Deborah Nelson
Senior VP - Marketing, Technology Solutions Group, Hewlett-Packard Co
"In the down economy, many companies, if not all companies, have changed the way they're doing their marketing, and AMD is no exception in that. We're focused on generating not only leads but qualified leads. With the IDG program and with the AccelerateResults.com Web site (a custom content project created in conjunction with IDG), we add in appropriate questions that are very relevant to AMD or to our partners in terms of making sure that we are speaking with the right people in terms of how they're involved in the buying process. We also ask whether they're planning to buy within three to six months, or within 18 months to two years - that kind of information".
Katie Pariseau
Marketing Manager - Integrated Marketing Solutions, AMD
I was at the Marketing Sherpa
B2B Summit this week in Boston. It was a great event with some excellent speakers full of practical advice about how to improve lead generation programmes. All of the content fitted into a framework which they called the five levers of Lead Generation:
A few interesting stats that stood out for me:
1.. 80% of all leads generated are either lost, ignored or discarded - there were a couple of interesting case studies on the steps taken to revitalise 'Dead Leads'
2. It can take 8 touches before a lead becomes sales ready - scoring technology helps this right.
3. Three questions when someone lands on a web page: where am I? What can I do there? Why Should I do it? The better a landing page answers these questions, the better the conversion
4. Sage's focus on using analytics and marketing automation software to develop a multi-step marketing campaign resulted in a 50% uplift in sales despire product changes, competitive pressure and a complex sales process
5. There are 8 B2B marketing groups on Linkedin with 22k members - Kim Albee the CEO of Genoo told the story of how she used Linkedin to build Genoo's profile
-
Better campaign conversions at the top of the funnel - volume
- Optimise lead qualification - focus on high quality leads - quality
- Service level agreement with sales - def of leads and requirement
- Intensify leads in funnel with lead nurturing
- Accelerate leads currently in the sales pipeline - negotiation
A few interesting stats that stood out for me:
1.. 80% of all leads generated are either lost, ignored or discarded - there were a couple of interesting case studies on the steps taken to revitalise 'Dead Leads'
2. It can take 8 touches before a lead becomes sales ready - scoring technology helps this right.
3. Three questions when someone lands on a web page: where am I? What can I do there? Why Should I do it? The better a landing page answers these questions, the better the conversion
4. Sage's focus on using analytics and marketing automation software to develop a multi-step marketing campaign resulted in a 50% uplift in sales despire product changes, competitive pressure and a complex sales process
5. There are 8 B2B marketing groups on Linkedin with 22k members - Kim Albee the CEO of Genoo told the story of how she used Linkedin to build Genoo's profile
